Alligator bites girl at Orlando park

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A young girl is recovering after she was bitten on the leg by an alligator Saturday afternoon at Lake Mary Jane, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Author:
Vanessa Araiza, WKMG , WTSP

Published:
4:59 PM EDT May 7, 2017

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A young girl is recovering after she was bitten on the leg by an alligator Saturday afternoon at Lake Mary Jane, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The FWC said the girl is between eight and 10 years old.

"The lifeguard said that they heard the scream, and then they saw the child jumping and running," said Matt Suedmeyer, manager of Orange County Parks and Recreation Division.

Suedmeyer said two lifeguards were on duty when the incident took place.

"While they are on the stand, they are just to scan the water, the swimming area for any life-threatening dangerous situations," Suedmeyer said.

He said the girl was waist deep in water with about a dozen people around her when the alligator bit her leg.

"A patron grabbed the child that was bit by an alligator and brought the child to shore," Suedmeyer said.

While the girl was taken to the hospital, Suedmeyer said they kept an eye on the alligator until FWC personnel arrived.

"It was just in the area. It did not leave the swimming area," Suedmeyer said.

Greg Workman, of FWC, said it's unusual for a wild alligator to stick around.

It's since been captured and killed. Workman said that's common after an alligator bites someone.

The beach area remains closed off to the public until the FWC's investigation is complete.

Suedmeyer said the park has had an alligator biting incident in the past. It happened about six or seven years ago. The alligator in that incident was also killed.